A Blue Puzzle
by Silver Sparklze
Summary: A conversation causes Dawn to puzzle over the mystery that is the blue elf. [CROSSOVER BTVSXME]


Title: A Blue Puzzle

Summary: A conversation causes Dawn to puzzle over the mystery that is the blue elf.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Notes: I'm exceedingly bored right now.

Dawn scrubbed the kitchen bench furiously, strands of dark hair sticking to her sweaty forehead. It's not like she _meant_ to hurt the mutant! If people popped up in front of her, what were they supposed to expect? Under her breath, she muttered curses in various languages, refusing to stick to just one.

"I don't think that last vone is even possible, fraulein." An amused German voice said from the door.

Dawn whirled around, only just remembering not to shoot more lightning. She doubted Mr. Logan would be so lenient if she made the same mistake twice in one day. "Dammit, Kurt," she snapped, glaring at the object of her thoughts, "wear a bell! You're too bloody quiet! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

The blue-furred mutant chuckled. "At least it vas my sudden appearance rather than my looks vhich frightened you this time." He stepped into the kitchen with an easy grace that Dawn envied.

She shrugged, embarrassed. "Well you have to admit, the fact that I had no idea mutants even _existed_ before today, let alone there were ones with blue fur and pointy ears that like to appear at inopportune times, can make for one startled girl."

"Ja, but not many startled girls vould react the vay you did." Kurt sat down at the table, propping his tridactyl feet on the polished surface.

"What, shooting bright green lightning?" Dawn shrugged. "I come from an entirely different world. A world in which you kill first, panic later."

"I'm glad you had your bolts set on stun, or I'd be vone dead fuzzy elf." Kurt said, his amber eyes focused on the table, almost as if he was afraid of Dawn's reaction to his comment.

Guilt stabbing her, Dawn moved to stand in front of him, putting a hand under his chin so she could force him to look into her face. "I'm really sorry about that, Kurt." She said, serious eyes the same colour as her bolts trying to convey her honesty.

"I know there's no excuse for what I did, but it was sort of automatic, and if there's anything I can do, anything at all, that would make it up to you, you've only got to say the words and I'll do it."

She half-expected him to come up with some crazy request, or something demeaning and humiliating, but after nearly killing him, she deserved everything he threw at her and more. Hadn't Buffy always tried to teach her to be careful with whatever powers she had? And what did she do? She attacked a student in a school, which she had been invited to for her own protection, and so she could learn more about this strange power which had suddenly become hers after the battle with the First.

Kurt blinked, looking surprised. "You really mean that?" He asked, voice full of astonishment.

Dawn nodded. "I swear it."

"Danke. That you vould say that, and that you vould touch me...these things mean more than you could ever imagine."

Dawn tilted her head to one side, looking very much like a confused bird. "Me touching you is surprising? Why? Don't you like to be touched? Oh, god, I just insulted you didn't I!" She snatched her hand away, placing it across her mouth to stem the Willow-babble which was struggling to flow forth.

Kurt waved his three-fingered hands, indicating for her to stop. "Nein, nein, fraulein! You misunderstand me! I meant that many people here do not like to touch me, even after all that's happened. Not that I don't like to be touched." His eyelashes lowered, and if Dawn didn't know better she would have sworn he blushed. But how could she see it under all that fur? "In fact, I love being touched."

"You...do...? Then why don't people touch you? I thought these guys were your friends and team-mates." Dawn stamped her foot, instantly becoming angry. Her emotions were fluctuating too much for her to control, and she found herself following the path of least resistance.

"Of course they're mein fruends. But they tend not to touch me anyvay." Kurt shrugged.

"Well that sucks." Dawn said. "Touch is an important part of being human. We need it. It's compulsory for our psychological well-being."

Kurt's eyes were shining with something suspiciously like tears. "Danke, Dawn."

"What for?"

"For saying I'm human." With a funny 'bamf' sound and a puff of purple, sulphur-scented smoke, Kurt disappeared.

Coughing, Dawn went back to her task of cleaning the kitchen, all the while puzzling Kurt's strange behaviour.

End Ficlet


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